


Rats In The Walls

by Amberly



Series: Just Like Heaven [14]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: M/M, Teasing, established relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27030946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amberly/pseuds/Amberly
Summary: Duo feels a surge of affection for him. For him and for all of them, taking up every seat at the table and keeping the rest of the organization away. There are too many people who want to talk about it, too many people who want to rehash and Duo is--raw. An exposed nerve, and people won’t stop touching him. He smiles at his plate and soaks it up, then runs a hand over his hair. Takes a deep breath before he continues.
Relationships: Chang Wufei/Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton/Heero Yuy
Series: Just Like Heaven [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/405643
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Rats In The Walls

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I was posting in order for a minute there and I am not anymore! There are [redacted] fics between the smut and this one, each building on what happens here and uh hey! Good luck! Next two fics are going to be from a completely different arc so you know. Timelines aren't real even if they are carefully mapped out. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's been reading and following along. I appreciate!

On the couch, Wufei reads a book with fury sketched into every part of his body. The tenseness of his muscles, the press of his lips. Duo adjusts his tie. Checks his braid in the front hall mirror, then makes his way to the couch.  
  
“If you kiss me like I’m some housewife--” Wufei starts to growl. He’s cut off by Duo. By Duo’s mouth, warm and soft against his own, his hand resting on his jaw. The tender brush of a thumb behind his ear. Wufei curls his fingers around Duo’s wrist and can’t help but smile against Duo’s lips. It makes Duo’s breath catch. He can have this. He can have something as simple as a good morning kiss, or a goodbye kiss, or any kind of kiss that he wants, and Wufei wants it. Welcomes it. He pulls back, cradling Wufei’s jaw in his hand.  
  
“I’ll bring some of the files home. Maybe you’ll find something I missed.” Duo watches the tension drain out of Wufei in a heartbeat. Stores away the soft, grateful smile he gives him and rubs their noses together out of the sheer joy of being able to do it. “Anything you want from your desk?”  
  
“I have applications for the next training team in the second drawer of my desk,” Wufei tells him. Duo nods. Steals another kiss and heads for the door, grinning like an idiot. Feeling a little like an idiot, lovestruck and gifted the whole world in the shape of Wufei’s heart.  
  
“I’ll see if I can sneak them out. See you later.”  
  
“Thank you. Be safe.”  
  
Duo leaves intent on looting Wufei’s desk, ready to fight Une herself if he needs to. 

* * *

“How’s he doing?” Quatre takes another bite of his salad, watching Duo.  
  
“Grumpy,” Duo admits and shrugs. “He’s home, but Une wants him on rest for another week.” There’s a snort from across from him.

“You’re going to have to be more specific, Duo. He’s always grumpy.”  
  
“Not lately,” Trowa chimes in, nudging Heero with his elbow and taking a long drink of his water. “Lately he has been almost cheerful.”  
  
“Guys.” It’s exasperated and fond, Quatre rolling his eyes. “I’m sure Duo can update us without the commentary.” Duo feels a surge of affection for him. For him and for all of them, taking up every seat at the table and keeping the rest of the organization away. There are too many people who want to talk about it, too many people who want to rehash and Duo is--raw. An exposed nerve, and people won’t stop touching him. He smiles at his plate and soaks it up, then runs a hand over his hair. Takes a deep breath before he continues.  
  
“He’s dealing. He’s pissed as hell about having to be at home, and he’s pissed as hell about what happened.” Duo shrugs and smiles. “I’m going to bring him some files home tonight. He wants to figure this out as much as I do, and I think having something to do will help.”  
  
“I think so too. Wufei doesn’t like being idle.” 

“Idle? How is it that he is idle, when Duo is there?” 

“Trowa!” Heero pinches the bridge of his nose. “We agreed we weren’t going to bring this up.”  
  
“You--” Duo goes cold. He looks the table over with wide eyes and trembles, and Quatre gives Trowa a hard look, wrapping an arm around Duo's shoulders.  
  
“Hey,” Quatre soothes. “Take a breath Duo. This isn’t anything we have to talk about here, or now. Or at all.” There’s another hard look and Trowa rolls his eyes. Duo is breathing. Duo is trying to breathe and going through the seven stages of grief. He closes his eyes as Quatre rubs his back and tries to inhale-exhale-inhale in a normal rhythm. When he finally calms down, there’s a small amount of guilt on Trowa’s face and Heero is leaning in to him, speaking in a sharp voice too low for Duo to hear.  
  
“How--?”  
  
“We kind of put it together,” Heero admits apologetically. “Especially with the way you tried to rip Tro’s throat out when he came by to visit in the hospital.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
“You were very angry, brat. But it is okay,” Trowa waves it off and reaches to ruffle Heero’s hair. “I would be the same way if this one were in the hospital.”  
  
“Thank you, Trowa,” Heero flattens his hair, shooting him a glare that fools no one at the table. There’s too much warmth in it, too much affection. “We get it. You didn’t know who to trust. I’m glad you trust us now.”  
  
“I do.” Duo says, quietly. “I’m sorry I didn’t before.”  
  
“Don’t be.” It’s firm, Quatre’s arm falling away from his shoulder as he gives Duo an intense look. “You’re trying to keep him safe. Focus on that, and catching the person responsible. As for everything else...it will wait. Whenever the two of you are ready.”  
  
There’s silence at the table for once. Duo soaks in the quiet, steady affection and finishes his lunch. It’s hard to say what he’s more grateful for. That they believe him about the sabotage, that they, too, are protective of Wufei, or that they know and support and aren’t going to make him say it. It’s not that he wants to hide it, it’s that he wants to savor it. Cradle it to his chest like the newborn thing it is and nurture it until it’s strong enough to withstand other people. Whatever pushback they might receive. His corner is full of men who would die for him, men he would die for, and he feels safer than he has since he got the phone call. 

“Are there any leads at all?” Heero asks, finishing his water. Duo shakes his head.  
  
“No.” He looks upward, arms crossing over his chest. “Not yet. I managed to clear most everyone sorting incoming leads. I’m going to look through training classes next. See if maybe someone feels like they got passed over.”  
  
“Smart.”  
  
“It happens.” Duo’s lips quirk. There’s a quiet chuckle next to him, and Quatre stands.  
  
“Keep us updated.”  
  
“I will,” Duo promises, standing as well. He leaves with warm goodbyes over his shoulder and feels better than he’s felt in days.

* * *

It’s not until the end of the day that it happens.  
  
Duo waits to raid Wufei’s desk until right before he leaves. He’s spent all day pouring through the leads forwarded to him from the tipline and found nothing more than a couple of hints. Nothing that points him anywhere he needs to go, and he wonders if the MO has changed. There was something different about what happened this time. It wasn’t his team, it was Wufei’s team, and Duo is so wrapped up in thinking about that as he packs up for the evening he doesn’t even notice that someone is standing at his door. When he does, he jumps, flinging himself back against the wall of his office and putting his hand on his heart.  
  
“Fucking Christ, Zechs.”  
  
“Sorry,” the blond apologizes, lips quirking. There’s amusement in his eyes--amusement and something else, his arms crossed over his chest. “I did clear my throat.”  
  
“You know that rich boy stuff doesn’t work on me.” Duo sniffs, clearing the files off his desk and tucking them all into his bag. Zechs’ eyes narrow. It’s a fraction of a second and then gone but Duo is already on edge. Duo’s been on edge for weeks, seeing shadows in every corner, seeing guilt on every face. But it makes him pause. Makes him straighten his shoulders some as he draws his bag over his shoulder as Zechs laughs in reply.  
  
“Touche,” he grins at Duo. “I came to check in on Wufei. How is he doing?” 

“Good,” Duo says, shrugging his shoulder and curling his fingers around the strap of his bag. Zechs knows him but Zechs doesn’t know him the way the pilots know him. The way Wufei knows him, knows every tell he has, and Duo is alert now. Watching intent even as he speaks, casual and a little babbly, just like he did during the war. “I’m bringing him some files to look through, and I promised I’d pick up the trainee applications he has. He doesn’t want to waste time, even if he’s not technically allowed in the office. You know him.”  
  
“Trainee applications?” Zechs asks, arching an eyebrow. The surprise is feigned and Duo only knows this because he knows people. Because he’s worked with Zechs for almost two years and he’s seen surprise before, the image tucked away. Catalogued for future use, and future use is now. ”Une’s letting him come back to work?”  
  
“Of course she is.” Duo puts on his best confusion. Pulls on the familiar mask and says a prayer to anyone listening that it still fits. “What happened wasn’t his fault, she knows that.”  
  
“I suppose that’s good,” Zechs says. There’s a small twitch in his jaw. He smiles at Duo. “Are you heading home now?” Everything in Zechs’s face is made of plastic. Even his voice. Duo nods and beams. Doesn’t go overboard but makes sure he doesn’t seem off, either. With a small slump, he runs his hand over his hair.  
  
“Yeah, Fei isn’t too pleased about being home. I don’t wanna leave him alone, you know?”  
  
“Of course not,” Zechs laughs. He nods and shifts away from the door. “If you need anything--or if Wufei does, of course.”  
  
“Sure thing, Zechs. Thanks,” Duo nudges him as he passes. Zechs replies with something Duo doesn’t quite hear but knows is as fake as the rest of it. Something like “You’re welcome” or “Anytime” and there are warning bells going off at every syllable coming out of the blond’s mouth and Duo can’t get away fast enough. His heart is racing, hair raising on end as he heads toward Wufei’s office. Detours suddenly to head to his car. Wufei will understand and he’s not leaving him alone. Not for another minute.  
  
It’s not proof but it’s enough, and Duo doesn’t need proof. Duo trusts his gut and isn’t going to let anything else happen to Wufei. Zechs will have to go through him first. 


End file.
